Dennis Williams
Gone but not forgotten
Tait's old house in Burbury Street. The paint flaked Pillars are still there, although it is now split into 3 separate business premises.
Can anyone help? I am researching the Birmingham cytology training school set up in the 1960s which I believe was at the Women’s Hospital.
In particular, I am researching a rare piece of equipment used in the 1960s in automated cervical screening and I know there was one in Birmingham. The Vickers 'Autotape' apparatus. I am also interested in the training of cyto technicians in those early days of screening…
Only just seen this...I ran the Cytology Training School at the Matty since 1968 when it opened! Before that we were down the Drive in the Research block from 1960.....
Only just seen this...I ran the Cytology Training School at the Matty since 1968 when it opened! Before that we were down the Drive in the Research block from 1960.....we got our Training School status in 1963....worked with Dr Di Rimmer on the accursed Vickers Machine for some time....and others like it much later....can I be of help now still?
Hi DennisIn 1868 and 1869 Mr Ross Jordan and three friends - Drs George Jones, James Neale, and the delightfully named Lumbley Earle – became convinced of the necessity for a hospital to be entirely devoted to the alleviation of conditions and ailments peculiar to women. The effort was at first unsuccessful but undaunted, Mr Ross Jordan successfully enlisted the interest of Mr Arthur Chamberlain, who undertook the duties of Honorable Secretary. With the aid and support of a number of his friends, among others being Mr Joseph Chamberlain (naturally), Dr Heslop, George Dawson (of course), Arthur Ryland, Charles Vince, Dr Samuel Berry, and Joseph Nettlefold (inevitably) in 1871 the Birmingham and Midland Hospital for Women became an accomplished fact.
No 8, The Crescent, a large House near the municipal centre of Birmingham, was bought and adapted to accommodate out-patients, and an in-patient department of eight beds. It was next door to the recently opened Training School for Nurses. In the following year, No 7 The Crescent was also bought and in 1876, three small wards were built in the garden at the rear. More to follow...
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Cheers Dennis. It wasn't the most inspirational building, but must have seen its share of history.Well yes...Norton Court was built same time as new Matty ..1968...it just housed Nurses, Docs and other workers...no other admin or medical uses....it gradually adopted some Hospital functions, but not many that I can recall...I left in 1997.....hope this helps....
Cheers Jonny. Yes, they started demolishing the building a few months ago and almost all of its 5 blocks are now gone. As I understand, it came down a lot quicker than expected as the build quality was very poor! I believe from internal staff communications we receive it will be completely levelled in about a month or two from now.When I worked there Norton Court gradually moved from being predominately residential to probably 50 - 50 office space housing amongst others: finance; Women's and Children's NHS Supplies; facilities directorate management; Medical Physics and probably others I can't recall. I haven't been down there for some time now and didn't realise it was being demolished!